Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has been waging an all out attack on the dairy industry which PCRM claims is “conducting a massive misinformation campaign.” But Harvard professor Daniel Cramer complains that PCRM has been misusing his research studies into dairy products.
Over the past three years, PCRM has repeatedly cited Cramer’s research as evidence that consumption o dairy products contributes to cancer. Cramer, however, told CNSNews.Com that this is a misrepresentation of his research. According to Cramer,
We don’t have the scientific proof to say that it [milk] has definitely been linked to cancer. I think that particular group has their own sort of agenda, of not wanting milk production around, and cows to be utilized. Their agenda is that [they] don’t want . . . cows exploited or they want everybody to be vegetarians.
CNSNews reports that Cramer did concede there are some links connecting lactose consumption with cancer in mice, but that that does not prove the sort of definite link between milk and cancer that PCRM claims. Besides which, of course, PCRM’s position is that research with animals is inherently invalid, so they would certainly dismiss even this thread of evidence.
When CNSNews tried to get PCRM’s reaction to Cramer’s comments, it reports they were told by PCRM communications director Simon Chaitowitz that, “We have nothing to say about this.” (PCRM with nothing to say? Who would have thought that day would ever arrive?)
CNSNews also notes that a researcher that PCRM cited back in October as providing evidence against milk also disputes PCRM’s use of her research.
In that case, Dr. June Chan published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that hypothesized a causal connection between milk and prostate cancer. PCRM issued a press release with Neal Barnard chiming in that “there is every reason for men to avoid cow’s milk altogether.”
But when contacted by CNSNews, Chan had a different take on her research. “We do not recommend that people change their diets or stop drinking milk,” Chan told te news organization.
Kudos to CNSNews.Com for pursuing this story and getting the real story rather than just the smoke and mirrors that PCRM would like people to see.
Source:
Harvard Prof Claims Misuse of Data To Push Anti-Milk Agenda. John Rossomando, CNSNews.Com, January 23, 2002.